Paul S

After trying and failing to get on with numerous P-Basses I have recently bought a 90s MIJ P-Bass and am immediately completely in love with it. I prefer a thin neck and it has a Mighty Mite Jazz neck in place of the stock neck - nice. It has a very lightweight body - another foible of mine and the deal breaker for any other P-Bass I have picked up - nice. Just tinkering with the pickup for *that* special tone but at the moment none of my other basses are getting used. It just seems *right* somehow. Body is tatty as hell, no decal on the headstock - I most likely won't bother with one - and I don't care. I just have a big grin on face whenever I pick it up.

I am in the prcoess of going through this myself. I recently bought a lightweight MIJ Fender P bass (with a Jazz neck) and it immediately feels *just right* when playing it - more so than any of my other basses. So that leaves the tone. I put a Ki0gon wiring loom in it and replaced the stock pups with a SPB-3 as, from reading around, that is what I thought I would like the most - plus I have one in another Fender and it is great. Anyway, it sounded nice but, in this bass, a bit middy and aggressive and, despite my initial thoughts, wasn't the sound I am looking for. I changed it for a Kent Armstrong I have knocking about and found that to be a little bit weak. Back to stock MIJ Fender pup that came with the bass - actually the best so far in terms of that 'woody P-Bass' tone. I have just put a Wizard Trad in it but not yet tried this at gig/rehearsal volume yet - at home practice level it sounds yummy - like the Fender one but with more oomph, perhaps. Waiting in the wings are a Wizard Thumper, just bought on here, and a SPB-1 which is on its way across the Atlantic. I think the thing is you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince - sound is so subjective and only you know your ideal bass tone that exists in your head. Most of the pups I have bought on here secondhand, so not that expensive to keep trying different ones then move them on when finished.

Bought a Wizard Thumper pickup from Nick in one of the simplest transactions possible. I've dealt with him before and hope to deal with him again. Cheers Nick

I bought some of these recently on eBay that were fine. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Height-Adjustment-Bridge-Screws-x-12-Allen-Key-/180965304490?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&hash=item2a225f68aa"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Height-Adjustment-Bridge-Screws-x-12-Allen-Key-/180965304490?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&hash=item2a225f68aa[/url]

One of my bands does a cover of the Green Day version of 'I Fought The Law', which was made famous by The Clash and nearly everyone believes it to be an original by them - but it was originally a minor hit for an obscure band in the 60s, who I cannot for the life of me remember. Edit - I googled it just now and found I had also miscredited it - originally written in 1957 by one of Buddy Holly's Crickets! Then later covered by The Bobby Fuller Four.

I actually replaced Bob in the band he used to play in! I've also found his work to be lacking as well as his time scheduling he set up one of my basses and it was all over the place when he had finished - intonation was way out. Steve - I can recommend a guy called Chris Cutmore 07717130559, who lives in Thundersley. A couple of the music stores locally use him.

Mike bought my Peavey Fury II in a particularly seamless and painless transaction. I would certainly look forward to dealing with him again. Cheers Mike!

Thats the one we mentioned - his sig bass made by JD.

He certainly was. Beautiful tone - real depth and growl to the sound that you sometimes lose with slappers. I somehow missed seeing them live 30 yrs ago, even though I liked the music, yet I saw Mark King and Level 42 a handful of times (and again soon). I can't honestly say I think George is an inferior player - he has a very good touch indeed. I don't think he does the fast flashy slap stuff as well as Mr King, but all the rest perhaps better? All IMO, of course.

at a small local venue. What a great night! George Anderson is a name I don't think I have read on here before but he is very good. He plays slap most of the time, generally a deep growly rumble rather than biscuit tin down the stairs stuff (although he does a bit of showboating). I actually prefer his finger style playing. But the whole band were superb. He is a vid from a few yrs ago - they sound exactly the same. 'Dont Say That Again', the second track on this clip, I think is lovely. [url="http://youtu.be/At1QXtZ0z3o"]http://youtu.be/At1QXtZ0z3o[/url]

Watching this with interest! I would love to have one of these but they are too heavy - I'll enjoy someone else messing about. Have you thought about LEDs to light the whole thing up? That is what I was going to do. Bit ostentacious ... but then we are talking see through guitar here. There is a Wesley on eBay at the mo. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wesley-Perspex-Bass-Guitar-with-Case-/300774627708?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item460790997c"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wesley-Perspex-Bass-Guitar-with-Case-/300774627708?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item460790997c[/url]

Possibly worth asking Alex, rather than us.

I would like to come along as I think these days are fantastic. I have a gig that night in Hornchurch - not sure of the details yet but if I can manage it I'd love to join in. I guess I'd have my gigging gear with me - Barefaced Compact/Midget, GB Streamliner 600, Bitsa P bass. If I can come I will bring along my Westone Pantera Deluxe X790.

I have a Westone Thunder Jet, which came out of the factory in 1984 as matt black. It had been abused and abandoned when I got it - a fairly serious need to clean it thoroughly and I tried to remove some of the scratch marks, too, using T cut. It is now nearly a gloss finish where I have polished it, so I'd say a matt finish is difficult to maintain in the long term. But that is rather subjectively either a good or bad thing - I am not really bothered as it is tatty as hell anyway and the extra shiny bits add to the 'mojo' to my thinking.

I was looking for a Wizard Trad pickup and Andy came to my help! A more speedy, pleasant and friendly transaction I cannot imagine - many thanks Andy!

Yes, that was the one. Apparently the bridge is a real weak point - a couple of the threads on here going back mention this. Saved you the bother of putting a new one on!

Mark, many thanks. That is just the info I was looking for - don't worry about pics, you have told me all I need to know - too heavy, neck too big! I have reasonably big hands but favour slim necks and my back won't let me wear heavy basses for long.

I had a Jaguar and the neck was actually shallower than most other 38mm necks I have tried. The only ones the same are my Peavey Fury and Fender Precision Lyte - others are thicker.

Ah, ok, thanks. Although I do think I set my sights rather lower than you do, Noel. Just out of curiosity, how would you rate one of these compared to, say, Ario Pro II Cardinal series? Or one of the JapCrap/Epiphone SG shapes?

I am currently watching with interest a Westbury Track 2 on eBay. There is something about those vaguely SG shaped, double cutaway basses I find appealing. I've done a search of the forums here and discovered they are good quality, Matsumoku built, prone to head dive, a lot of peoples' first bass that they wish they'd never sold etc etc But what I can't find reference to anywhere are some specific things. Does anyone have one that could measure a/ the weight b/ the width of the neck at the nut? and c/ is there any routing under the scratchplate or could it be removed? Failing that, any comparisons? - I have read 'lighter than a Washburn Scavenger' but, then again, so is my car. ta!

The key word here is 'loud' I think...

Well, with VAT and delivery nearer £35 but no risk so far as I can see.